Car-axle and method of repairing car-axles.



W. T. VAN DORN.

CAR AXLE AND METHOD OF REPAIRING CAR AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l9. I918.

Patented July 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 w. T. VAN norm. CAR AXLE AND METHOD OF REPAIRING CAR AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I9; IQIB- I 1,272,581 Patented July 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- "IIIIIIIII 11m WILLIAM '1. VAN DOB-N, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-AXLE AND METHOD OF REPAIRING CAR-AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1918. Serial No. 223,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. VAN DORN, a citizen of the United States residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Axles and Methods of Repairing Car-Axles, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

At present car axles for steam and electric railroads are each made out of a single piece of high grade steel forged into shape and then accurately machined at the ends to form seats upon which the car wheels are pressed and projecting journals. journals extend into journal boxes containing bearings of bronze or other suitable anti friction material which rest on the journals and transmit the supported load thereto. The end thrust,-that is the thrust in 'thedirection of the length of an axle, is taken by collars or annular shoulders at the ends of the j ournal.: The service to which the journals and the collars or shoulders are subjected is very severe and a constant watch is necessary to insure that neither the journals nor their collars wear away to an unsafe degree. The

present practice, when a predetermined amount of wear has taken place on the journals or their collars, on an axle, is to press the wheels off of the axle and place them on a new axle. i

The present invention, viewed mom of its aspects, has for its object to produce a simple and novel form of axle which will make it unnecessary to discard an axle after its journals have become worn.

In carrying out my invention I form the wearing surface out of a sleeve which is separate from the remainder of the axle but is so intimately united therewith that in operation the axle acts just like a one-piece axle. This sleeve may be applied not only to a new aXle in the course of manufacture but also to an axle of the old type whose journals have become worn and to axles originally provided with sleeves which have become worn The By reason of the fact that'the wearing surfaces form part of a member which is made separate from the body of the axle, it is possible so to select the materials from which the body member and the sleeve members of an axle are made that high wearing qualities in the journal willbe combined with a hlgh capacity in the body of the axle to resist bending, twisting and other stresses to which axles are subjected; and consequently, viewed in one of its aspects, my invention may be said to have for its object the production of a composite car axle possessin to the highest degree the capacity to resist tl e wear of a bearing surface and also the stresses to which a beam is or may be subjected.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter he pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding'of .myv invention and of its objects and ad- Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end of an axle properly shaped to receive'the bearing Patented July 16,1918.

sleeve which isshown in section in position to be slipped upon the end of the axle;j

Fig. 3 is a view'similar to Fig. 2 showing the sleeve in place on the axle;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in F gs. 2 and 3, after the sleeve has been machined so as to shape a portion of it into a journal having thrust bearings 0r shoulders at the ends;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one end-of a modified form of axle, the sleeve being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a side elevationof one end of an axle similar to that shown in Fig. 2 having depressions or grooves in the periphery to secure mechanical interlocking between the axle and the sleeve;

Fig. 7 is an elevation 'of the end of a completed axle having a body member like that shown in Fig. 6, the sleeve being shown in section; and

Fi 8 is a View similar to'Fig. 6, showing a .sti 1 further modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, 1 represents a car axle of any usual or prewhat smaller'in diameter than the body of the axle at the inner ends f the members 2. Each ofthe members 3 may be of any desired length.- In the arrangement shown,

. it is long enough to extend well into the hub of the wheel; the line 4 in Fig. 1 rep- I resenting the inner end or base of the member 3 and being substantially at the middle of the hub of the wheel 5. The meetin ends of the members 2 and 3 are prefera 1y so shaped as not. to produce an abrupt shoulder at this point. In the arrangement which I prefer, the outer end of the member? is tapered 1nto the form of. a frustum of a cone whose elements make an angle of about -forItK-five degrees with the axis.

e axle heretofore described .may be either a new axle which is in the process of being manufactured, or it may be an old axle of the one-piece type or'of the'composite type comprising the present invention whose journals have become worn and which it is desired to be repaired. In order to complete the axle I place upon each end thereof a sleeve such as indicated at 7 in' Fig. 2, the sleeve being preferably made slightly larger in external diameter than the inner end or base of'the part 3 and of a length slightly greater than the combined lengths of the parts 2 and 3; the sleeve being bored out in the interior so as to have at one end a bore, 8, of the same length as the part 2 but somewhat smaller in diameter than the latter and at the other end a bore, .9, the same length as the part 3 but somewhat smaller in diameter than the latter, the inner end of the bore 9 terminating in a cone-shaped part, 10, corresponding to the part 6. The sleeve is telescoped upon the end of the axle'in such a way that it will be held in place with a strong radial pressure exerted inwardly by the sleeve upon the inclosed core, which pressure is main-.

tained by a tension in the metal of the sleeve.

' While it is possible to force the sleeve on the axle in a cold state, by using -a heavy hydraulic-pressure; and while the heat that will be developed in the journal during ordi- -nary service or in case of a hot box, even if suflicient to expand that part of the sleeve surrounding the member 2 of the axle,

would not and could not influence that por 'tion of the sleeve surrounding the part 3 of the axle sufliciently to permit the sleeve asv a whole to become loose; I" prefer to heat.

thesleeve and shrink it upon the axle.

in diameter that it cannot be pressed upon the ortions, 2, smaller inldi axle without first heating it to a very big 1h "temperature in order to expand the bore su cie'ntly. Consequently the temperature to. i

which the sleeve will be raised during the process .ofi'manufacture will be so' much greater than any temperature to WhlOh 1t could possibly thereafter be raised during the use of the axle, that the sleeve could not mit it to become loose.

' After the parts of the axle have been assembled as shown inv Fig. 3, the exterior of the thrust collars or shoulders, shown in'Fig. 4. f i v An a'xle made in the manner just described will be fully'as strong as a one-piece axle because it wlll withstand shearing and bending stresses justas effectively as the latter accidentally be expanded'suflic-iently to 'persleeve is fashioned to give it the con-- tour of the usual journal, .8, having the 9' and 10; as

i In Fig. 5 I have illustrated aslight modification,'the only difference between the construction there shown and that previously described being that the part 3 of the axle,

corresponding to the part 3 of the other form, is made so short that it does not enshape thesurfaces of those parts of the axle that are surrounded by the sleeve that when the sleeve shrinks it will be mechanically interlocked with the axle. The mechanical interlock may be arranged to prevent relative ,movements between the pa'rtsin the direction of the length of the axis or angu- -larly around the axis, or both. Axial displacement of .the sleeve may readily be prevented by employing shallow grooves extending around the core member of the axle as against re ative axial movements will be secured.

rangement in which, the axle member 2 has thereon two shallow spiral grooves, 12 and In Figs. 6and 7 I have illustrated .an arand, if these grooves aremade in the form of spirals, some inclined in the opposite 13, inclined oppositely to each other. These the surface of the-member 2 In'the arrangement shown, each of the spirals con- 1 grooves may cover any desired portion of sists of only a few turns. If desired, an annular groove, 14, maybe placed in the member 2 at such a point that it will lie directly within that ortion of the sleeve out of which the co lar 9 will be made. Furthermore, if desired, any desired number of grooves, 15, may be placed on the part 3 of the axle.

If desired, the interlocking means may be applied entirely to one or the other of the core members of the axle. A simple way of securing interlocking is to provide the part 3, as shown in Fig. 8, with two series of crossing-shallow spiral grooves, 16 and 17. If desired, the grooves may be in the form of a fine thread as indicated at 18 and 19 on the part 2 in Fig. 8.

It will be seen that when the hot expanded sleeve is placed over the central core which has been repared with grooves or recesses, the metal of the sleeve, upon cooling, will enter the grooves or recesses and, if the latter are not too deep, completely fill them; so thatthere will be an effective mechanical interlock between the sleeve and the body member of the axle, and the sleeve and the axle will be to all intents and purposes a single integral piece and no separation can occur without slotting or splitting the sleeve and prying it It will of course be understood that the higher the temperature to which the sleeve is heated when it is applied, the easier it willbe to force ithome to its seat and the tighter will be it grip on the axle. Where the surface of the core member is roughened or grooved it is additionally important that the initial temperature be high in order to prevent the core from scraping metal from the interior of the sleeve and filling the depressions or grooves with loose metal. In fact I prefer to heat the sleeve to .a temperature just short of a welding heat and then drive it onto the core by means of a single quick blow which will. seat the sleeve befdre the interior has an opportunity to begin to chill through contact with the core. Where it may be deemed advisable to se cure a stronger. mechanical interlock than will result from the mere contraction of the hot sleeve so as to cause the metal at the in terior thereof to flow into the grooves or recesses in the core member of the axle, the sleeve may be squeezed or compressed about the core while still extremely hot so as to cause the metal to flow positively into the grooves or recesses. This may readily be accomplished by allowing the sleeve to seat itself in a die surrounding the core of the axle just before the sleeve seats itself in its final position on the axle or by causing jaws to close upon the sleeve as it is seatingitself cr immediately afterward. Where the-hot sleeve is compressed in the manner just described, the grooves or recessesmay be made deeper than it would be possible to fill through the mere contraction of the hot sleeve.

I claim:

1. A car axle having at the end a reduced portion, and a sleeve having at its outer end the exterior contour ota completed journal provided with end thrust collarspressed on said reduced portion and held thereon by radial pressure produced and maintained by ,tension in the metal of the sleeve, said reduced portion and said sleeve being sufliciently longer than the journal that a portion of the sleeve will grip the axle without being influenced by the conditions in the zone occupied by the journal.

2. A car axle having at the end a reduced portion considerably longer than a completed journal and a sleeve fitting upon said reduced portion and being in a state of tension caused by the tendency of the sleeve to contract until its interior diameter is considerably less than that of the reduced portion so that the sleeve is held on the axle by pressure maintained by the tension in the sleeve, said sleeve having its outer end fashioned so as to have the contour of a complete car axle journal, and the inner end of the sleeve extending sufliciently beyond the zone occupied by the journal to prevent the conditions at the journal from influencing the grip at the inner end of the sleeve.

3. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming on the axle a portion of reduced diameter extending inwardly from an end of the axle for a distance considerably longer than a completed journal, making a sleeve having an internal diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the reduced portion of the axle, telescoping the sleeve upon the said reduced portion in such a manner that the sleeve grips the axle with 'a strong radial pressure, and finally finishing the sleeve to' give the outer end of it the shape of a complete car axle journal. I

4. A car axle having at the end a reduced portion forming with the body of the axle an abrupt shoulder, said reduced portion terminating at its outer end in a rudimenof reduced diameter provided with depressions in its surface, and a sleeve having the exterior contour of a complete journals'urrounding said portion of reduced diameter and having the metal thereof extending into said depressions, the construction and arrangement of the depressions being such thatv the sleeve and the axle are interlocked against relative axial movements and against said depressions, the construction and arrangement of said depressions belng such as v to prevent relative rotary movements between the axle and the sleeve.

' 7. A car axle having at the end a portion of reduced diameter provided with depressions in its surface, and a sleeve having the exterior contour of a complete journal surrounding said portion of reduced diameter and having the metal thereof extending into said depressions, the construction and arrangement of the depressions being such that the sleeve and the axle are interlocked against relative axial movements and against rotary movements, said sleevebeing held in place by radial pressure produced and maintained by tension in the metal of the sleeve.

8. A car axle having at the end a portion of reduced diameter provided with shallow peripheral grooves, and a sleeve havin the exterior-contour of a com lete car axle journal surrounding said re uced portion and having the metal thereof projecting into 'said grooves, the construction and arrangement of the grooves being such that the sleeve and the axle are interlocked against relative axial movements and against relative rotary movements.

9. A car axle having at the end a portion of reduced diameter provided with shallow peripheral grooves, and a sleeve having the exterior contour of a complete car axle ournal surrounding said reduced portion and having the metal thereof projecting into said grooves, the construction and arran ment of the grooves being such that t e sleeve and the axle' are interlocked against relative axial movements and a ainst relative rotary movements, said s eeve being held in place'by radial pressure produced and -maintained the sleeve.

10. A car axle having at the end a portion ofreduced diameter provided with depressions in the periphery, and a sleeve hav ing the exterior contour of a complete car 'axle journal shrunk upon saidportion of reduced diameter and having the metal thereof projecting into said recesses.

by tension in themetal of 11. car axle having at the end a portion of reduced diameter provided 'with depressions in the'peripher-y, and a sleeve havmg the exterior ,contour of a complete car axle journal shrunk upon said portion of reduced diameter and having the metal thereof projecting into said recesses, the con structionand.arrangement of said recesses being such-as to produce a mechanical in terlock which will prevent relative movethe end a portion of reduced diameter and a rudimentary ournal of still smaller diameter at'the' outer;

end of said reduced portion, said reduced portion having recesses in the" periphery thereof, and a sleeve having at its outer end the exterior contour of a complete car axle journal, said sleeve surrounding said reduced portion and said rudimentary axle and having the metal thereof extending into sald recesses, sald recesses belng constructed and arranged to prevent relative movements between the sleeve and the axle in the axial direction.

13. A car axle having at the end a portion-- axle journal, said sleeve surrounding said reduced portion and said rudimentary-axle and having the metal thereof extending into said recesses, said recesses being constructed and arranged to prevent relative: rotary movments between the sleeveand the axle the axial direction.

14:. A car axle having at the end ,ap'or- .tion of reduced diameter. provided with shallow right and left hand perpheral spiral grooves, and a sleeve having the exterior contour of a complete'car axle journal-surrounding said reduced portion and having the metal thereof extending into said grooves.

15. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming at the end of the axle a portion of reduced diamgive it the exterior contour car axle journal. 4

16, The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists informing at the end of the axle a portion of reduced diof a complete ameter, heating a sleeve having an interior .upon cooling, shaping the sleeve so as to bore considerably smaller in diameter than the aforesaid diameter to a temperature appreaching a Welding heat, then driving the sleeve onto said part of reduced diameter by a quick blow, and finally finishing the sleeve to give it the shape of a complete caraxle journal after it has become cool.

17. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming at the end of the axle a portion of reduced diameter having in the surface depressions or grooves constructed and arranged to prevent relative rotary and axial movements between the axle and a sleeve having parts extending into said depressions or grooves, placing on said reduced portion a sleeve heated to a high temperature so as to expand the bore to the aforesaid diameter and, upon cooling, shaping the sleeve so as to give to it the exterior contour of a complete car axle journal. T

18. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming at the end of the axle a portion of reduced diameter having recesses in the periphery thereof, placing on said portion of reduced diameter a sleeve and causing the material of the sleeve to enter said recesses, the recesses being constructed and arranged to prevent relative movements between the axle and the sleeve, and shaping the sleeve so as to give it the exterior contour of a complete car axle journal.

19. The method of producing a journal on a caraxle which consists in forming at the end of the axle a portion of reduced diameter. having recesses in the periphery thereof, heating. to a temperature approaching a welding heat a sleeve having a smaller internal diameter than the aforesaid diameter, drivin the sleeve onto said portion of reduced dlameter, and allowing the sleeve to cool and shrink into said recesses.

20.- The method of producing a journal on' a car axle which consists in forming at the heated to a. high temperature so as to expand the bore to the aforesaid diameter and, while the sleeve is still hot, applying pressure to the exterior of the sleeve to set the ,7

on a car axle which consists in forming on the axle a portion of reduced diameter con siderably longer than a completed journal, making a sleeve having an internal diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the reduced portion of the axle, heating the sleeve toa high temperature, forcing the hot sleeve onto the reduced portion of the axle, and finally finishing to give the outer end of it the sha e of a complete car axle journal after the sleeve has become cool.

22. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming on the axle a portion of reduced diameter, making a thick sleeve having an internal diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the reduced portion of the axle, telescopingthe sleeve upon the said reduced portion in such a manner that the sleeve grips the-axle with a strong radial pressure, and then turning down the exterior of the sleeve so as to form about the periphery thereof annular thrust surfaces or shoulders facing each other.

23. The method of producing a journal on a car axle which consists in forming onthe axle a portion of reduced diameter, making a thick sleeve having an internal diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the reduced portion of the axle, heating the sleeve to a high temperature, forcing the hot sleeve onto the reduced portion of the axle, and finally turning down the exterior of the sleeve after it has become cool s9 as to form about the periphery thereof annular thrust surfaces or shoulders facing each other.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

WILLIAM T. VAN DORN. 

